Food injection device

ABSTRACT

A device to inject solid materials into foods and other objects. The device utilizes a hollow needle with a moving cover at one end. A plunger moves inside the hollow needle to push contents from the needle into the object to be injected. Various apparatus for moving the can be utilized.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a continuation of application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/891,915, filed Jun. 26, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No.6,578,470.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present inventions are directed primarily toward food preparationdevices and particularly toward devices which inject substances intofoods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is common today for cooks in homes, bakeries and restaurants to usehypodermic type needles to inject marinades, flavorings and other liquidsubstances into meats and other food products. Such devices are alsocommonly used to inject more viscous liquids and semi liquids such asjellies, frostings, puddings, into such foods as cakes, cream puffs,eclairs and cupcakes. Typically these devices resemble oversized medicalhypodermic syringes which the cook fills through the back of the barreland hand operates by pushing a plunger. These devices allow flavoringsto penetrate inside and throughout the food and provide foods with amoistness, texture, and/or taste they might otherwise lack.

Commercial food injection devices have also been in common use for manyyears. Like their home and restaurant counterparts, these devicestypically use hollow needles inserted into the food to inject liquidsand semi liquid substances. Their applications include not onlyinjecting flavorings and food substances such as already mentioned, butalso liquid and semi liquid substances to increase food weight, decreasespoilage, and help in processing. Three such commercial food injectiondevices are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,928, Townsend—Means forInjecting Fluids Into Food Products; U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,095, VanHaren—Brine Injection Device; U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,640,Raevsager—Apparatus for Injecting Brine Into Food Products.

All the aforementioned devices are limited to injecting liquids and semiliquids. Solid materials such as dried spices, salt, sugar, sunflowerseeds, peanuts, garlic cloves, chunks of pineapple, jellybeans, chunkypeanut butter, etc. cannot be injected using any of these devices.

It would be useful to have a mechanism which could inject solidsubstances such as just mentioned into foods. Such a device also mightfind wider use in medical and other settings.

As examples, whole peanuts could be injected into sesame rolls, orpineapple chunks injected into hams, or garlic cloves injected into apot roast, or jellybeans injected into frosted cupcakes, or lemon chunksinjected into rotisserie cooked chicken, or walnuts injected into roastbeef, or ice cream injected into angel food cake, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Several embodiments of the present inventions are illustrated in theappended figures. In brief, all embodiments comprise four interrelatedsections: the injection needle, the solid material mover, the powerdrive, and the material loading mechanism.

Starting with the injection needle, embodiments as illustrated in FIGS.1 through 7, show two alternative constructions 20 and 22, both havingneedles 21 and 23, ending in penetrating points 24 and 26, and bothhaving movable port covers, shown respectively as 28 and 30, to coverrespectively injected solid exits 32 and 34. Penetrating points 24 and26 allow piercing into the object to be injected. Movable port covers 28and 30 may serve either and/or both the purpose or purposes ofstructurally supporting penetrating points 24 and 26, and/or restrainingmaterials to be injected from leaving the needle until the materials aredriven out by the solid material mover.

In the embodiments as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7, the solidmaterial mover comprises plunger 36 which slides into and out of needle21 or needle 23 and thus pushes solids out respectively through foodinjected solid exits 32 or 34 covered by respectively movable port cover28 and 30.

In turn, plunger 36 is pushed into needle 21 or 23 by the power drivemechanism comprising pusher plunger 38 which slides inside of barrel 40driven by manual pressure.

FIG. 8 shows another configuration for the power drive mechanismcomprising direct manual pressure on plunger 84. This eliminates theneed for pusher plunger 38, barrel 40 and needle ring securing nut 54.

Other configurations for the power drive mechanism might also beemployed. As examples, a solenoid drive such as used in electric stapleguns, or a powered screw drive mechanism such as used in electric cookiepresses, or a ratcheted screw drive mechanism such as used in electriccaulking guns, or a flexible shaft drive such as used in orthopedicsurgical equipment might also be used to replace the mechanismpreviously described.

One example of a motor drive is illustrated in FIG. 9. As alreadydescribed, this embodiment uses a gear reduced electric motor to drive aplunger which pushes material to be injected out of the injection needleand into the object to be injected.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 7, the material loadingmechanism comprises placing solids to be injected into needle 21 throughopening 42 or into needle 23 through opening 44. Openings 42 and 44 areopposite respectively penetrating points 24 and 26 on their respectiveneedles 21 and 23. In the example shown in FIG. 1 needle 21 or 23 mustfirst be removed from barrel 40 by unscrewing needle ring securing nut54 before materials may be loaded through openings 42 or 44.Alternatively, pusher plunger 38 and plunger 36 may be backed out ofbarrel 40 and materials to be injected may be dropped into the back ofbarrel 40 where they may drop by gravity into needle 21 or needle 23.Plunger 36 and pusher plunger 38 would then be reinserted into barrel40.

Alternatively, the material loading mechanism may comprise splitting 46needle 21 or splitting 48 needle 23 and hinging a portion of each needleso that the unhinged portion could dip into and scoop up solids and semisolids to be injected. This dipping and scooping is similar to a spoonscooping up material. After dipping, scooping and filling the needle,the hinged portion of the needle would be swung back into place andsecured, as an example, by sliding ring 50 or 52 respectively overneedle 21 or 23, and plunger 36 driven by the power drive mechanismwould push the solids or semi solids out respectively through injectedsolid exits 32 or 34. Ring 50 or 52 could be held in place on theirrespective needles 21 and 23 by friction or by a small protrusionsliding over an indented groove to make a snap fit. Such snap fits arewell known in the art and thus are not described in detail herein.

To make operation easier of the material loading mechanism justdescribed, hinge 72 might be biased so hinged needle portion 60naturally springs outward as shown in FIG. 3 when ring 50 is removedfrom needle 21. This would mean needle 21 would be naturally open forscooping when ring 50 was removed. Alternatively, or in conjunction withthe above, finger lever 74 attached to hinged needle portion 60 mighthelp with finger pressure to move hinged needle portion 60 to its openposition as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3.

Operating the embodiment comprises the steps of filling needle 21 or 23with solids 66 using one of the material loading mechanisms such as justdescribed or an equivalent. Once the embodiment is loaded and any neededreassembly completed, the needle is pierced into the object to beinjected, and the power drive mechanism is activated, as an example bymanual pressure as described above on intermediate thumb pads 60 and/oron primary thumb pad 58. This causes solids 66 to be expelled from theembodiment as shown in FIG. 7.

The embodiment may be constructed at any scale including: small-scales,appropriate for use in orthopedic surgery or other medical proceduressuch as implanting solid medicines or objects; intermediate scales suchas illustrated in the appended figures for use in food preparation; tolarger scales appropriate for inserting solid objects underground orother places.

Likewise, many different materials may be appropriate for use inconstructing embodiments of the present inventions. As examples, theembodiment shown may have needles 21 and 23 constructed from pliableplastics such as polypropylene, nylon, polyethylene or polycarbonate.Barrel 40, pusher plunger 38, and needle ring securing might as examplesbe made from ABS, polycarbonate, polypropylene, acrylic diecast aluminumetc. Medical embodiments of the present inventions might use similarmaterials or might be constructed from other materials such as stainlesssteel.

Other features might easily be added to the preferred embodiment such asvolumetric measuring markings on the side of needles 21 and 23 or barrel40. Clear or translucent materials on needles 21 and 23 and barrel 40might help or be necessary in the use of such markings.

The embodiment may also be used for injecting all viscosity of liquids,including: light viscosity liquids, semi liquids, highly viscousliquids, and liquids containing solids. To accomplish these tolerancesbetween plunger 36 and the inside of the needle 21 or 23 might beadjusted so lighter liquids would be driven out. Also, movable portcovers 28 or 30 might have to fit tightly when closed to keep lighterviscosity liquids from escaping before injection.

For all embodiments described herein, many features detailed need not benecessary to practice the present inventions. Likewise, most featuresdescribed herein can obviously be interchanged between embodiments evenwhere they are not specifically shown.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment incorporatingthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is an end view of needle 21 taken from penetrating point 24 endof needle 21.

FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of needle 21.

FIG. 4 is an end view of needle 23 taken from penetrating point 26 endof needle 23.

FIG. 5 is a perspective side view of needle 23.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is the cross-section view of FIG. 1 after solids 66 have beeninjected.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the presentinventions which eliminates the need for pusher plunger 30, barrel 40and needle ring securing nut 54.

FIG. 9 shows a motorized embodiment of the present inventions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention utilizes barrel 40, pusherplunger 38 (with modifications described below), and needle securing nut54 similar to a typical home liquid food injecting syringe. Typicalliquid injecting needle 56 is shown to illustrate how it might beinterchanged with solid injecting needles 21 and 23. Primary thumb pad58 and intermediate thumb pads 60 are also shown. As illustrated by thedotted line thumb in FIG. 6, intermediate pads 60 help people withsmaller hands press on pusher plunger 38 when it is extended.

As shown in FIG. 2, four movable port covers 28 are shown in solid linein their closed positions, and in dotted line 29 in their openpositions. Also shown in dotted line 60 is hinged needle portion in itsopen position and in solid line 59 in its closed position.

Needle 21 is indicated as being cylindrical tube 25 terminated on oneend by penetrating point 24. Round cross-section cylindrical tube 25 isvolumetrically efficient, easy to clean, and offers easy to fitorientation to cylindrical plunger 36 which fits within tube 25.

Other cross-sections than round might also be used however. As examples,elliptical, eye shape, square, egg shape, star shape, etc.cross-sections might also be employed. Depending on the item to beinjected, these alternative cross-sections may work and may even provideadditional benefits. As an example, an eye shape cross-section may helpto close the needle hole after injection.

Penetrating point 24 is shown as the tip of a cone formed from closedmovable port covers 28.

Four movable port covers 28 are also indicated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.Fewer or more divisions for the port covers could also be used. Asexamples, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, etc. regularly or irregularly spaced portcovers might replace the four regularly spaced covers shown. All that isnecessary is that the port covers restrain materials within needle 21from falling out before injection and that penetrating point 24 bestrong enough to pierce the article to be injected.

Cylindrical plunger 36 laterally slides into and out of needle 21. Thismay be either a high tolerance or low tolerance fit depending on thecoarseness of contents to be injected.

As seen in FIG. 3, movable port covers 28 and the hinged needle portionin its open position 60, as well as ring 50 are all shown in dottedlines. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 shown how movable port covers 28 deflect toallow solid contents from needle 21 to exit. FIGS. 2 and 3 also show howthe hinged needle portion swings out 60 to allow loading of needle 21 byscooping into the contents to be loaded like a spoon or by loading byother means such as hand inserting contents to be injected 66 into openneedle 21.

Hinge 72 is indicated as being as molded living hinged such as might beused if needle 21 were molded from polypropylene or other suitablematerial. Hinged 72 is shown as being biased toward the hinged needleportion being in its open position as indicated by dotted line 60. Thisbias assists in filling needle 21 by having the needle be naturally openand able to scoop or be filled by hand or other means until needle 21 isclosed and ring 50 is fitted onto it.

Referring to FIG. 4, shown in dotted line 64 is the hinged needleportion on its open position. Needle 23 is indicated as beingcylindrical tube 27 terminated on one end by penetrating point 24 formedby an angled cut across the end of cylindrical tube 27. Like needle 21,cross-sections other than round might be advantageously employed.

As seen in FIG. 5, movable port cover 30 in its open position 31, andhinged needle portion 64, as well as ring 52 are shown in dotted lines.FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show in dotted line 31 how movable port cover 30deflects to allow solid contents from needle 23 to exit. FIGS. 4 and 5also show how hinged needle portion 64 swings out to allow loading ofneedle 23 by scooping into the contents to be loaded or by loading byother means such as hand inserting solid contents into open needle 23.

FIG. 1 shows the assembled embodiment of FIG. 1 readily injecting solids66. Hand 68 indicates one example of how the embodiment might be used.Dotted line thumb 70 shows an example of how a person with a smallerhand might operate the embodiment by pressing on disk shapedintermediate thumb pads 60. Intermediate thumb pads 60 are circular ribsdisposed orthogonal to the axis of pusher plunger 38. These intermediatepads allow pusher plunger 38 to be pressed down, using one or two hands,without having to reach primary thumb pad 58 on the end of the pusherplunger 38.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the presentinventions which eliminates the need for pusher plunger 30, barrel 40and needle ring securing nut 54. Also shown are markings 76 formeasuring the amount of material to be injected. To utilize thesemarkings, ring 78 and needle 80 would advantageously be made from clearor translucent material. This embodiment also incorporates intermediatethumb pads 82 to make it easier for people with small hands to use theembodiment similar to intermediate thumb pads 60 on embodimentsdescribed herein. Intermediate thumb pads 82 may provide support for twothumbs simultaneously or one thumb to press on plunger 84. Likewise,primary thumb pad 86 may allow one or two hand operation.

FIG. 9 shows a motorized embodiment of the present inventions. Needle 88does not have certain features of earlier embodiment including splitting46 needle 88 and having related finger lever 74. For all embodimentsdescribed herein, many features detailed need not be necessary topractice the present inventions. Likewise, most features describedherein can obviously be interchanged between embodiments even where theyare not specifically shown. As an example, needle 88 in FIG. 9 could besplit 46 and could also have finger lever 74.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 9 has outer case 90 housing gear reducedmotor driven ratchet gear 92 which drives in one direction 94 plunger 96when plunger 96 is inserted into tubular track 98 and grooves 100 onplunger 96 engage ratchet gear 92, and when also the user presses buttonswitch 102 which activates rotation of ratchet gear 92. Grooves 100 areheld in engagement against ratchet gear 92 by pressure on the side ofplunger 96 toward ratchet gear 92 from leaf spring 104. Spring 104assisted ratcheting engagement also allows plunger 96 to be insertedthrough tubular track 98 in direction 94 with manual pressure withoutactivating rotation of ratchet gear 92.

Needle 88 can be inserted and removed from outer case 90 by slidingneedle 88 into and out of slots 106. This may be desirable for cleaning,or use of other needles, or for other purposes.

The embodiment may be operated in a variety of ways. As an example,needle 88 could first be filled with materials to be injected. Thiscould be done in several ways. As an example, before attachment to outercase 90, needle 88 might be filled through its rear and needle 88 thenattached to outer case 90. As another example, materials to be injectedcould be dropped into hopper 108 and gravity fed into needle 88 etc.

Plunger 96 could then be inserted 94 into tubular track 98 and presseduntil it blocked the rear entry of needle 88. The user could then piercethe item to be injected with needle 88 and press button switch 102causing plunger 96 to drive the materials to be injected out of needle88 and into the item to be injected.

Needle 88 would then be removed from the item to be injected and plunger96 removed from outer case 90 and needle 88 by plunger 96 being pulledin direction 94 through the tip of needle 88.

1. A method of injecting solid objects such as peanuts, walnuts,pineapple and lemon chunks, garlic cloves and other solid objects intofood articles using a continuous tube which has an integral foodpiercing tip and a moving member to retain solid objects within the tubeon its front end, the method comprising the steps of: loading the solidinto the continuous tube through a rear end of the tube, the solidobjects being restrained from exiting the front end of the tube by themoving member; behind the solid objects, placing a first plunger intothe tube; piercing a food article with the food piercing tip; and movingthe first plunger through the continuous tube causing the solid objectsto push against and deflect the moving member and causing the solidobjects to be ejected from the tube through the food piercing tip andinto the pierced food article.
 2. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising using hand power to move the first plunger through the tube.3. A device to inject solid objects such as peanuts, walnuts, pineappleand lemon chunks, garlic cloves, and other solid objects into foods, thedevice comprising: a continuous tube having a first open end to receivethe solid objects; a tip on and integral with an opposite second end ofthe tube, the tip having a moving member with a first position torestrain the solid objects in the tube from exiting the tube, the movingmember having a second position which allows the solid objects to passthrough the tip, and the tip being pointed to pierce into food articles;a pushing member which fits into the tube through its open end and whichpushes the solid objects through a length of the continuous tube andthrough the tip while the tip is pierced into a food article; andactivation means to move the pushing member in the tube causing thesolid objects to be ejected from the sleeve, through the tip, and intothe pierced food article.
 4. The device of claim 3 further comprisingthe tube having a generally regular hollow interior along its length,and from time to time the tip having an opening formed in part by themoving member, and the opening being about equal to the cross-section ofthe hollow interior bore.
 5. The device of claim 3 wherein theactivation means is powered by hand.